


Anachronism

by idonthaveanaccent



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Aged Up, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, M/M, Mention of sexual acts, Multi, Other, Self Insert, Strong Language, descriptions of violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 09:35:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30087105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idonthaveanaccent/pseuds/idonthaveanaccent
Summary: Elliot Doe never really believed in the supernatural, no matter how hard Madame drilled it into his head growing up. When he suddenly finds himself standing in a strange new world filled with demonic entities, Elliot is quickly attacked. Saved by a small demon and taken to meet one of the seven demon lords, Elliot finds himself traversing this new land filled with new wonders and excitement. But along with each new discovery, something sinister lies in wake, waiting to pounce and claim the prize of Elliot's life.This story contains spoilers for Lessons 1-38 of Obey Me! and takes place 500 years in the future.
Kudos: 1





	1. Out of Place

_**Chapter 1** _

One moment I was walking through sliding glass doors, my nose burning from the sanitizing chemicals ever present. The next, a burning smell akin to that of a house on fire filled my nostrils, and I was standing in a darkened alleyway. My pacing slowed as I stopped to take in my surroundings. The ground was similar to a cobblestoned pathway I’d seen in period piece movies, however a strange red glow seemed to shift between the cracks and the stones were permanently burned. My gaze turned to the two walls boxing me in. Deep, maroon-colored bricks with ash pressed onto them seemed to grow closer as the panic set in. This was not the same place I once was.

I swallowed thickly, steadying myself as best I could. Perhaps this was a hallucination. Madame would sometimes talk of how she got them from time to time, especially when she was grieving. Was I in a similar state? Even still, the best thing to do was turn around and go back. Even if I had to suffer through a migraine or be hounded by nurses, it was better than imaging some sort of hellish landscape.

When I turned around, all I saw was a different street, probably a good forty feet from where I was standing. There were no glass doors, nothing showing where I had come from. I hesitated before moving my hand upward, attempting to grab hold of anything solid. Nothing. I was somewhere completely different. My hand fell back to my side. This couldn’t be a hallucination. I was actually in a brand-new place.

This was fine. I’d figure something out. Somehow, I would get back home. All I had to do now was find out where I was, and then it was just a matter of purchasing whatever mode of transportation it would take to bring me back. I slipped a hand into my pocket and pulled out my phone. The last message was from Madame. She simply told me that if I wanted to go home, she’d be there soon to cook dinner. I opened the message and went to send her an ok, but it immediately came back as undelivered. I frowned as I attempted to send it again. I looked up to check my signal, only to see that I had zero bars and no data.

I grumbled as I exited the message app. Perhaps my maps would be kind and tell me where I was even without a connection. However, as soon as I opened it, the screen remained black, and a loading symbol began to spin tauntingly in the middle of it. Wherever I was, there was zero modern connection. It was weird, seeing as the place had a modern appearance, at least, from what I had seen. Speaking of, I should probably observe my surroundings. There might be a clue of some sort on the main streets.

I turned around and walked to the street I was closer to. The sound of muffled voices began to make their way to my ears. When I finally emerged from the alleyway, I saw a street that reminded me of older European towns I’d seen in movies and pictures. The street was oddly empty, save for a few people grouped up on benches. I frowned as I walked towards one of them. As I got closer, I could see what looked like horns twisting out from their dark hair. I frowned before I stopped by them. “Excuse me?”

The person was slouched against the arm rest of the bench, their face smushed against the palm of their hand. Their skin was the part that drew me in the most. A strange, almost purplish undertone seemed to reverberate across their otherwise lackluster skin. There was no shine from the sun or a single bead of sweat on them, even though it was quite hot outside. They were wearing a two-piece suit, with the buttons of their white collared shirt undone. I glanced up at their nails, and instead beheld something that would better be described as claws. My heart stopped for a moment as I slowly glanced up at their face. Their mouth was open, and a soft snore sounded out every so often. That wasn’t the concerning part, however. What concerned me more was the four small fangs protruding from their jaw. I found myself backing up slightly, however my heavy boots thudded against the ground and I watched as they stirred form their sleep.

Their eyes slowly opened, revealing these almost glowing, ethereal purple. Their pupils were slitted like a snake, which made them look all the more unnatural. I watched as the cloud over their eyes from sleep began to clear and they focused their attention on me. Their eyebrows shot up on their head as they took me in. “Hold on…there’s no way…a human?”

I immediately brought my hands up. The familiar itch appeared all along my skin. A fight. The person cocked their head to the side as they stared at me. “I never thought I’d see one of you for the rest of my time. Especially down here…but moving on…you smell…I can’t even describe it. I’ve been starved the past five hundred years. I’ll never get another chance to taste a human soul! Give me it, now!”

Their entire demeanor changed within thirty seconds. I watched their features almost sharpen as they grinned, revealing rows of sharp teeth. Suddenly they lunged at me, extending a clawed hand towards my chest. I immediately put my arms up, ready to block them. I’d had my fair share of fights throughout my life, and there was no way I would back down so easily when someone raised their fists at me. Sadly, I didn’t have a chance to even defend myself before I heard a loud “Wait!” and suddenly my opponent was tackled to the ground.

My gaze drifted down to the person who tackled them. They were a smaller, impish looking man with tanned skin and curly locks that almost created an afro around their head. Their eyes were a reddish color, but their pupils were rounded like normal. I saw dark brown freckles that dotted their rounded cheeks. He wore a pair of pinstriped, bell bottom pants that were tucked into a pair of black boots that went just above his ankle. The pants created a muffin top appearance above the boots, which clearly hadn’t been cleaned in a while as they were scuffed with dirt. Wrapped around his waist was a black belt. The buckle was silver with purple gems encrusted into it. A solid black tank top was tucked into his pants, and a silver necklace with a purple emblem at the end of it. Around his shoulders was s black satchel. I could hear papers rustling in it as he moved to contain the guy. I glanced up at his head and saw a small pair of reddish horns peeking out from under his horns.

“Don’t worry man! I got this!” He said, waving a hand at me. I frowned but didn’t lower my guard just yet. He could easily go and turn his attention to me after subduing the first person.

Eventually the person the guy was straddling stopped moving, accepting whatever fate they were owed. The impish man got off of him, but not before putting some strange cuff he produced form his satchel onto the other person’s wrist. I watched as he stood up, pressing the heels of his boots into the other person’s back. They whimpered but did nothing to fight back. The impish man hopped off and then turned to me.

I was about six feet tall, and this man was at most five foot six inches. He smiled up at me, brushing his clothes off. “Sorry ‘bout that. People in this part of town get pissy when you wake them up from a nap! Anyways, what sector are you from? You aren’t wearing an emblem.”

“Sector? Sorry, but may I ask where I am?” I asked, frowning as I looked down at the man.

His brow furrowed as he looked at me. I watched as he sniffed the air, and then a strange glint took over his eyes. The small man quickly shook his head and slapped his temples. “No, don’t get distracted Ser. Ahem. You…aren’t from around here, are you?”

I shook my head. “Truth be told I don’t know where I am. One moment I was walking down the street, the next I suddenly was in that alleyway back there.” I pointed towards the alleyway. The man’s gaze followed it, and I watched as he frowned, rubbing his chin.

“Well, let’s introduce each other first. I’m Sernan. And you are?”

“Elliot. Elliot Doe.”

Sernan grinned, putting his hand out for me to take. “Nice to meet you, Elliot! Now, you said you don’t know where you are, right?”

I nodded, staring into his red eyes. How peculiar. “Yes. As I said, I just appeared in that alleyway. Now, I might’ve blacked out and don’t recall what happened, so that’s more likely why I have no memory of travelling here—”

“No, you teleported. Or rather, stepped through a portal. Which should be impossible. Travel between here and the human world has been banned for centuries. It’s why this guy got so hungry; he hasn’t had a human soul in a _while_. It was funny to see you square up against him though, seeing as he would’ve torn you limb from limb just to taste you.” He was laughing as he said that, as if what he was saying wasn’t absolutely insane. “Anyways, let me introduce you to this immaculate world you’re standing in!”

I watched as he stepped onto the bench. Sernan cleared his throat before throwing his hands out on either side of him. “Welcome to the Devildom, Elliot Doe!”

“What the fuck is that?”


	2. The Courier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elliot has just come face to face with a demon, who immediately declares he needs to be taken to see his Lord. Confused, Elliot finds himself dragged away by the demon and towards his new reality.

_**Chapter 2** _

Sernan grinned as he looked down at me. “Welcome to the Devildom, Elliot Doe!”

I frowned, crossing my arms. “What the fuck is the Devildom?”

“Wait while I explain this incredibly unique situation you find yourself in, Mr. Doe.” Sernan hopped off the bench and quickly grabbed ahold of my arm, dragging me forward down the street. He reached in his satchel with his other hand and pulled out a strange perfume bottle. Sernan quickly spritzed me with the perfume. It smelled absolutely horrid and made me want to vomit. “Sorry about that, but it’ll keep my brethren from attempting to feast on your flesh.”

My nose burned from the smell. It reminded me of a barbeque gone wrong. I coughed and sneezed, trying to rid myself of the terrible scent that was invading all of my senses. “Sorry man, but you gotta keep that on while you are wandering the streets with me. Once we get over to the Lord of this Sector, you can bathe and get that scent off you. Now, let me explain where we are and what this place is.”

I sighed before I matched his pace, pulling my arm out of his. “Tell me.”

Sernan nodded before he began. “This is the Devildom. I’m sure you’ve heard of Heaven and Hell, right? Well, they’re real. I’m a demon. So was that guy who attacked you back there. In the past we fed off of human souls. The purer the better. Nowadays we are stuck eating the food we’ve always had here and any souls of sinning humans that wander down here after death. They aren’t tasty but we will eat them if we are desperate. Questions?”

My mind was running a million miles an hour. “Uh…yeah, thousands.” I stopped moving as my brain began processing what he was saying. “So, if I do bad things in life, I’ll be damned to hell and have my soul consumed by demons?”

“No. Human souls typically fade into oblivion after death. If you commit a mortal sin, however, like murder, then your soul will slip into our domain. Those souls taste atrocious but, in a pinch, they satisfy the hunger we have for human souls. Beforehand we’d find a way to be summoned by humans, either by mutually agreed ways or by sneaking through thinned spots between our worlds. You know how humans use Ouija boards? Sometimes a demon would slip through and eat the souls of the humans who summoned it. That can’t happen anymore, and I’ll explain why in a moment. Need any other question answered before I move on?”

There were so many questions running through my mind at this moment, but to spare myself even more confusion, I simply shook my head. Sernan nodded as he continued. “Okay, so let me quickly give you a rundown of how this place works before I explain why you being here is essentially impossible. So, there are seven sectors within the Devildom. They were established about four hundred and fifty years ago. Each sector is run by a Demon Lord. This is the seventh sector. I work for the Lord of this sector.”

“What do you do for him?” I asked, looking down at Sernan.

The demon lifted up the satchel that hung around his neck. “I’m a courier. I deliver messages between my Lord and the other six, along with the Demon King. So, speaking of him, there is a capital city. Truthfully, the first Demon Lord is just in charge of the area surrounding the Demon King’s castle. The Demon King runs the Devildom, and the seven Demon Lords are like mini kings that help control a section of the Devildom. Make sense?”

I nodded. It acted similarly to that of a President and the Governors of a state. Not exactly the same, but the concept itself wasn’t difficult to grasp. “So why is it so weird that a human has slipped into the Devildom?”

“Ah yes. So, five hundred years ago the passage between the Human, Celestial, and Devil worlds were easy. A little less so if you were a demon, but it wasn’t hard to get permission to travel or to sneak through portals opened by witches or idiots dabbling in satanism. The king, who was the prince at the time, proposed an idea. He created an exchange program between all three worlds. Two angels and two humans came to the Devildom and visa versa. It was a way to create a better relationship between the three worlds. At the time it seemed like a good idea. However, something bad happened. One of the human exchange students was murdered. They could never find out who killed her. The head of the Archangels, the King of the Devildom, and a human representative ended up having a meeting. During this meeting, they all agreed the best course of action was to essentially cut travel between all three worlds completely, save for a few people. The human representative can access all three worlds as well as two representatives for the archangel. Then the King can travel between the three worlds, but he hardly does. Does that explain things?”

“So, five hundred years ago, some random human died and that caused the entirety of the universe to shut down? How does that make any sense?” I asked. It seemed like most demons didn’t care about human life. Was that not the case?

Sernan shrugged. “Truthfully, we don’t know much about the human who was murdered. My assumption is she was important. Beyond that, there’s not much known amongst us lower demons. I’m actually a relative of one of the original Little D’s, so I’m fairly high up on the food chain. Even still, I know next to nothing about the truth of the human’s murder.”

I sighed before looking up. It hadn’t been too long of a walk, but we now stood in front of a large mansion. It resembled what I imagined a vampire would live in. Tall, gothic towers with rod iron accents covered the deep gray stone the mansion was made of. Tinted windows were spread sporadically along the outside, all I could see were deep, purple curtains drawn behind them. A rod iron fence with bended bars that zig zagged and twisted all along the perimeter protected the house from outsiders. A huge gate made of similar materials was in front of us. I saw Sernan walk forward before lifting his necklace up and pressing it against an emblem on the front of it. The emblem was of a ‘B’, with amethyst encrusting inside a silver outline. The gate creaked and moaned before opening. Sernan looked back at me before motioning me forward. “Come on in, I’ll introduce you to my Lord, and from there we can find a way to get you back home.”

“Say, Sernan, what exactly is your lord like?” I asked as we approached two double doors. There were two large windows inside of them, made of purple and red stained glass.

Sernan looked up, rubbing his chin. “How do I describe him…he’s incredibly hardworking. The man hardly ever sleeps, which is unusual for this sector. I’m sure you noticed pretty much everyone we passed by was dead asleep. Anyways, my Lord is diligent, he won’t let a mistake slip by him. From the stories you might hear about him from the past, he’s incredibly different. Also, one thing to know about him, he’s the youngest of the seven lords. Don’t remind him about that. He hates being the youngest.”

“Are all the lords related?” I asked as we stopped in front of the door.

“Did I not mention that? Yeah, all seven of them are brothers. I’m sure you know the concept of the seven deadly sins, right?” I nodded. “Good, then I won’t have to really explain it. Each of the lords represent a sin. My Lord is the Sin of Sloth. Everyone native to sector seven displays the sin pretty openly. All but my Lord. He’s grown past his sin and is working to ensure the Devildom lasts till the end of time.”

Sernan turned towards the door and knocked on it. We descended into silence as I thought about what he said. Sernan certainly didn’t act like someone afflicted by the sin of sloth, so where was he native to? I remembered the sins. Pride, lust, sloth, envy, gluttony, greed, and wrath. It seemed as if this Demon Lord had become the exact opposite of his sin, rather a virtue. Madame taught me all about the different virtues when I was younger, along with the seven sins. I didn’t have a traditional childhood, and absolutely despised every religious lesson she drilled into my brain. I suppose it wasn’t all bad though, seeing as it was at least partly true.

The door opened, and in the opening was a small, dark orb. It had small arms and legs that protruded off of it, along with horns similar to that of a ram sticking out of a top hat. Its eyes were oval and a bright purple. Small fangs protruded above its bottom lip. The creature looked at me and then back down to Sernan. “Master Sernan! Good to see you, yes.” It said, floating downward to meet his gaze.

“Little D No. 7, how are you?” Sernan said, waving to the orb.

The orb, or Little D No. 7, nodded to him. It looked odd as the whole body moved to nod at him, but I suppose this creature was normal in the Devildom. I believe Sernan said he was related to one of them even, which made no sense to me. “I’m good. Who is it that you’ve brought to meet Milord?”

Sernan grinned before throwing an arm around me. “This is Elliot Doe. He’s a human.”

Little D No. 7’s eyes widened. I watched as it quickly moved aside. Sernan pushed me into the foyer, and immediately I was struck with how Victorian it was. The walls were paneled in a black wood, with purple accent drapes covering windows. The only ones that were not drawn had paintings under them. They were paintings of…pillows? The biggest painting was of one that was designed like a cow. The ground was covered in a plush rug, a deep purple paisley design. The edges of it were a deep black which faded well into the black wood underneath the rug. Potted plants were placed in between the curtains. Tall pots with claws at the bottom of it made of a shining silver. Each one had a centerpiece stone, most likely amethyst judging by the color. The plant was one I couldn’t place. A strange, grayish vine that twisted out of the soil, with sharp black thorns protruding from its sides. The tendrils seemed to move, inching closer to me. Sernan grabbed my arm and pulled me away from it. “Don’t let the thorns prick you, it’ll kill you if you’re not careful.” I nodded numbly before looking up towards the huge staircase. It was ornate, with the same purple rug lining the middle of the black stairs as it twisted upwards. “Little D, is the Lord in his study?”

“Actually, Master Sernan, he’s in the lounge. He’s currently having his afternoon coffee. It’s probably best you came now anyways. You know he doesn’t like to be disturbed while working.” Little D No. 7 answered, anxiously twiddling its fingers.

Sernan nodded, his curls bouncing around his head. “Right. Well, let’s get this over with, Elliot. Let me do the talking until he addresses you. Lord Belphegor can be finicky about pleasantries.”

And with that, Sernan lead me down the hallway towards a darkened room. I could see a silhouette within the doorway, and the smell of black coffee wafted towards me. It was time to meet one of the seven demon brothers.


	3. The Lord of Sloth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Standing within a mansion within the Devildom, Elliot is confronted by the Lord of Sloth and the Head of Sector Seven, Belphegor.

_**Chapter 3** _

The lounge was just as ornate as the rest of the house. Long couches resembling something out of a period film were laid out in a square around a silver coffee table. On the table was a bucket of foiled candies. I didn’t recognize the brand, but judging by the logo, they appeared to be some form of energy treats. The couches were a gray toile with black legs that ended in small paws. There was a fireplace off to the side against the back wall of the room. No fire was present, but I could see a fresh placement of logs waiting to be lit. Above the fireplace was a portrait. It portrayed a bunch of people, however the shadows hung over the top of it, forbidding me from seeing their faces.

Sitting at the couch facing the fireplace was a man. His back was turned to us, but I could see his clean-cut hair. It was styled like a comb over, though I do not believe it was because he was balding. Wisps of white hairs were under the almost indigo-colored hairs that made up the majority. I watched as he slowly turned around. His eyes met mine and I felt a chill run down my spine. His eyes were a deep purplish magenta, with long dark lashes framing them. His eyebrows were trimmed and done, and his skin was flawless. His cheeks were slightly rounded; however, his jawline was chiseled. His nose was halfway between a roman nose and a smaller, petit nose. The slight bump on the bridge, yet his nose tip didn’t turn downwards. He wore a three-piece suit with a black tie that was clipped halfway to stay in place. In his hands was a black mug with the words ‘World’s Best Twin’ written on it.

Slowly, his deep eyes dragged off of me and to Sernan. A frown rested on his lips as he looked towards the smaller demon. “Sernan, who, or rather, what, is this?”

Sernan bowed his head. “Lord Belphegor, first, I have a few letters for you from Sector Six and Sector Three. I also have a picture from Sector Five—”

Lord Belphegor’s face paled when he heard this, and he quickly threw a hand up. “Please tell me the picture is a decent one.”

“No, sir, it is not. Would you like me to scrap it?”

“Please do. Now, are there any other letters or is that it?”

Sernan opened his satchel, looking through it. “There’s one more, sir. It’s one from the King. A letter about the annual meeting. Besides that, there’s not much.”

“Right. Well, once you tell me who this young man is then we can discuss the letters sent to me.”

The smaller demon nodded before sighing. “Okay, so this is Elliot Doe. I’m sure you can sense it, but this man is a human. I found him wandering down Main Street about to be attacked by a lesser demon. He has never heard of the Devildom and doesn’t appear to have any magic, however neither you nor I am particularly gifted at sensing that. I figured if I brought him to you, you’d know how to get him back home, or at least know someone who could help him.”

Lord Belphegor frowned before he stood up. He wasn’t as tall as me, which was slightly surprising. He was probably about two inches shorter than me. Who knows if this is his actual form though? “I’m surprised a normal human managed to sneak through the wards placed up by Barbatos and Solomon. I can help you get back home. Well, not get back home immediately. Luckily for you, you came at the right time.” His whole demeanor changed. He suddenly seemed kinder as he spoke. Did he pity me, perhaps?

“What do you mean by ‘the right time’?” I asked, staring at him.

His eyebrows raised slightly as he looked at me. “Your voice is far deeper than I thought it’d be. Reminds me of someone.” I watched as he chuckled to himself before sipping his coffee. “Well, as you heard from Sernan, I received a letter from the King. That letter is the time and date for the annual meeting between myself, my brothers, the King, and the representatives for the various different worlds. There we can find multiple people with magic strong enough to open portals that can take you home, Mr. Doe.”

I put my hand up. “Call me Elliot. Mr. Doe sounds far too formal for my liking.”

Lord Belphegor nodded, looking me up and down. “Yes, I can see that. You remind me of how I used to believe I presented myself, back when I was rebellious. Lots of black, smudged eyeliner, the whole package.”

I frowned. I couldn’t tell if he was making fun of my style or not. It was true that I wore clothes in a more alternative style. Rings on every finger, black nails, dark make up, earrings, distressed jeans, combat boots, the whole package. It was a way of trying to rebel against Madame’s more conservative lifestyle. Just because her dresses were all earth toned didn’t mean I needed to mute my personality. She threw a fit when I bleached my hair, but I dug the platinum blonde. The only thing she insisted was I keep it tied up in the house. Currently it was in a bun, though I was certain it was falling out. I sighed before crossing my arms. “I enjoy the way I look. What of it?”

He simply nodded, staring me right in the eyes. “Just muttering to myself, Elliot. If we are going on a first name basis, do call me Belphegor. It feels better than being called Lord all the time.”

“Whatever you say, Belphegor.” I grumbled, looking away from him.

I could see Sernan’s jaw dropping out of my peripheral. He was probably in shock that I was being so blunt with Belphegor, but truthfully, I didn’t enjoy authority. Madame had made sure of that. My jaw clenched before Belphegor spoke again. “The meeting is a week away, however, travelling there takes most of that time. Besides, it’s customary to arrive there early least you want Lord Leviathan to beat you over the head about tardiness. Plus, I have to go see me brother over in the fifth sector and tell him off for sending me a lewd photo again. Please tell me that was meant to be delivered somewhere else?”

Sernan shook his head. “He kept saying how much he thought you’d enjoy it. He showed it to me.” The young demon’s face flushed a bright red. “It certainly leaves nothing to the imagination. He said you’d like it because he’s posing in a bed. I couldn’t say no to him, I’m sorry sir.”

Belphegor waved his hand. “Don’t apologize. Lord Asmodeus has always been an impossible demon. Sadly, the last five hundred years haven’t done much to change him. Now then, Elliot, allow me to show you to a room so you can rest before we head out tomorrow. Sernan, you’ll come with us to help keep an eye on Elliot and make sure no one tries to eat him. Especially Lord Beelzebub…he’s going to need a ride and I’ll have my hands full watching him.”

The young demon bowed, his body almost snapping in two with how fast he bent down. “Yes, sir!” He exclaimed; his voice muffled from the carpet.

“Now then, follow me, Elliot.” Belphegor said, walking out towards the foyer.

I followed him silently. We passed by a few shadows, all of which had glowing purple eyes. They appeared to be cleaning. A type of maid, perhaps? “I see the Shades have caught your eye. It’s a spell. Shades are beings manifested form their master’s wills. They do whatever you tell them to. I use them as servants to help save money on hiring demons. Besides, they don’t talk, and I enjoy solitude.” Belphegor sighed as he folded his arms behind his back. “It does get a little lonely sometimes. I used to live in a house with all of my brothers, you see. Now, we all live miles from one another. Do you have any siblings, Elliot?”

The bitterness settled along my bones, causing my mouth to twitch downward. “No, I don’t. I’m an only child.”

Belphegor nodded. “I see. Having six brothers is quite the experience. It was both a miserable existence and an exciting one. I had some good times living in that house.”

Wow. Seven boys and no girls? I guess it was a normal sausage fest there. “You all lived in one house?”

“Yes. We lived in the House of Lamentation during our school days. All of us were on the student council, alongside King Diavolo and Barbatos. It was hectic, and back then the only thing I wanted to do was lay down and sleep my days away. I’ve grown up though, I have a job to do, and it can’t get done if I end up passed out the entirety of the day. Most of my brothers have matured as well, though I wouldn’t say all of them. Some of them still act the exact same as back then.” Belphegor said, chuckling to himself as he thought about his brothers.

I fiddled with one of the rings on my fingers. “What changed?”

Belphegor’s laugh died out and he suddenly stopped walking. He sighed before turning back to look at me. A dark cloud hung over his face as he eyed me. “We lost a member of our family. She…she was special.” He sighed before turning forward. “That’s a discussion for another day, however. Your room is right here.”

He reached forward and opened a door to my right. Belphegor stepped aside and motioned for me to go inside first. I sighed before entering. The room was an average size, with a full-sized bed on the east side of the room and two large windows covered by the same purple velvet drapes covering them on the northern side. The west side had a dresser and another door. My assumption was either a closet or a bathroom. The bed itself had a mountain of accent pillows on it, and the duvet was plaid with dark gray and white as the colors. The headboard was a silver color with a black paint dry brushed onto parts of it. All in all, the room was nice, nicer than my room back home. “That door there is the on suite, I believe you’d prefer that rather than wandering the halls looking for a bathroom.”

“Yes, I would prefer that.” I answered, turning back to him. “Thank you, Belphegor.”

Belphegor smiled at me. “Of course. Now, it is the afternoon here in the Devildom. Dinner will be served in about two hours. We don’t have any human world food, but you will be able to eat our food. Humans can tolerate it. It just takes a moment to get over the shock of it. If you’d prefer to eat alone then you can tell the Shade that will come get you for dinner. And, if you need Sernan or me for whatever reason, just summon one of the Shades form the hallway and ask for us. I believe that’s it…Oh! Yes, there’s one other thing.”

I watched as he walked forward towards the dresser. He raised his hands and chanted in some strange language I didn’t recognize. A purple magic bubbled and fizzed off his fingers before hitting the dresser. It rattled slightly before a stack of books appeared on top of it, alongside a bag of toiletries. He nodded before looking back at me. “I had a few clothes appear in here for you. Similar to what you’re wearing, of course. These books have information on the Devildom and Celestial worlds, if you’re interested. And this bag is some hygiene items you might need. Now, if you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask. I want to make your stay here as nice as can be.”

Belphegor nodded to himself, not waiting for my reply before he headed out, shutting the door behind him. The room was thrown into silence as I stood there. It had only been half an hour since I appeared here and yet it felt like years. I sighed before I walked towards the bathroom. Sadly, time didn’t stop on bodily functions, no matter how pressing the changes around me were.


	4. Finally Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elliot finds himself alone inside a room within Belphegor's mansion. Now left alone with his thoughts, he begins to think about all that has happened.

_**Chapter 4** _

The bathroom was fairly modern considering the rest of the décor. A porcelain toilet that rivaled even the fanciest on the market back in the human world, colored black of course. A gray granite backsplash that melted perfectly in with the counter. The mirror was about the length of the counter, with a black portrait like frame around it. There was a shower and bath combo, with a purple curtain in front of it. The sink was large and deep, something I would’ve expected to see in a kitchen rather than a bathroom.

Either way, it functioned well. I sighed as I washed my hands, the sound of running water echoing throughout the small room. Once I was done, I shook my hands off before grabbing a purple towel and drying my hands off. Belphegor really had a color palette and stuck to it. Once my hands were dry, I looked in the mirror. My dark eyeliner had smudged along, my septum piercing had moved up so it was sideways in my nose, and my hair was falling out of the messy bun I’d tied it in, but other than that my appearance hadn’t changed much from this morning. My eyes weren’t red anymore, which was a win.

I stuck my finger back under the water to get it slightly damp and began cleaning my eyes up a bit. Once I looked satisfactory, I dried my hands once more and went back into the bedroom. I sighed before sitting down at the end of the bed.

Two whole hours before dinner. My phone didn’t work, so I couldn’t mindlessly scroll through social media feeds. I didn’t want to talk to anyone because my mind was still reeling from everything that had happened today. There were the books Belphegor had given me, but I didn’t want to spend two hours reading history books. Belphegor never told me if I could leave this room either, in fact he implied I should stay here. At least, that’s the vibe I got from him giving me all these solutions that wouldn’t require me stepping outside of the bedroom.

Maybe a nap would do me some good. I hadn’t slept last night, though that was by my own doing. My sleep schedule was messed up as of late, and the events of this morning certainly didn’t help. Madame also seemed frazzled. We hadn’t had to take her to the hospital in a while. Both of us thought her condition was improving, but it seemed that that was false. I lifted up my legs to take my boots of as I thought about everything. I don’t know how she’s doing, and I can’t receive updates from Madame due to my phone no longer working. I wonder if she was worried at all.

I fell back onto the bed after I got my shoes off. The mattress was super soft and comfy, and I could already feel my body succumbing to the drowsiness. I was more tired than I thought I was, it seemed. My eyes closed as my head rolled to the side, welcoming the plush duvet against my cheek. And with that, I found myself adrift in dreamland.

* * *

My body jolted awake. For a moment panic settled over me as I tried to figure out where I was, and then suddenly the events from earlier came rushing back to me. The Devildom. Demons. Angels. Hell. I was in Hell. I groaned before I sat up. I had fallen asleep at the end of the bed, but I realized that the duvet was now covering me, and I was moved to the top, with my head surrounded by the dozen or so pillows. Someone had come into the room and moved me. Perhaps I slept a lot longer than I thought I did.

I slowly got out of bed and stretched, trying to get all the kinks out of my sore limbs. Then, I made my way over to the dresser and opened it. There were plenty of clothes similar to what I was wearing, in all different colors. I settled on a black turtleneck and a pair of gray skinny jeans. I’d just wear my hair down with it and go without makeup, I was certain that my makeup was smeared from sleep.

My fingers wrapped around the hem of my shirt before I pulled it over my head, feeling the cold air hit my exposed torso. I shivered as I dropped it on the ground before I ran a hand over my chest, only to brush over a metal chain.

I frowned as I looked down, picking up the necklace. It was a silver pendant, no bigger than the pad of my thumb, with some blue crystal embedded within it. Under light, I could see a sort of symbol etched at the bottom of it, however it was too faint to get a real read on. The chain it was attached to was the same silver as the outlining of the pendant, and went down to my sternum. I sighed before letting it drop back against my chest as I began to undo my belt to take my pants off.

After pulling my old clothes and the new ones on, I patted my chest, feeling the necklace once more. It was strange, but Madame had told me I needed to guard it with my life. Something in me almost begged me to keep it tucked under my shirt. Almost as if I knew something bad would happen if I let others see it. I shook my head, pulling my hand away and going to put my jewelry back on. Two rings on my index and ring fingers, three on my middle finger, one on my thumb, and then none on my pinkies because I hated hearing the rings clink against hard surfaces when I rested my hands on it.

My nail polish was chipping, and I doubt Belphegor had any on hand. Besides, I enjoyed the messy look. I didn’t care much for my appearance, something Madame had always berated me for, but honestly, I couldn’t see a reason that would make me want to jump up and dress to impress. I sighed before walking into the bathroom, grabbing a washcloth and running it under water. I then took to my face, scrubbing all the eyeliner off of it. When I looked up at myself in the mirror, my chest clenched slightly. I looked so…empty. There were dark circles under my eyes, which seemed lifeless, just empty shells staring back at me. My cheeks were gaunt and my lips beginning to crack. I’d have to shower soon, maybe that would make me look alive again.

I turned the water back on and splashed my face with some water. After drying it off, I stood up and walked back into my room. There was no clock, but I could go and check the windows. The drapes were as velvety as they looked, the small fibers of the fabric shifting under my fingers as I grabbed hold of the curtain. I pulled them apart, revealing the Victorian window beneath it. While the glass was slightly tinted to help minimize the sunlight, I could clearly see how bright out it was. Why was it so bright? Did I sleep through the night, perhaps?

The curtains dropped, gently hitting the window as I turned and walked towards the door. The door creaked as I opened it. Like before, the hallway was empty, even the Shades weren’t present. I stepped forward and made my way back down towards the staircase. I couldn’t hear any voices or any sign of life. As I walked down the stairs, a dark object hurled itself at my face.

I threw my hands up, immediately grabbing hold of it. The object came into focus as I held it away from my face. It was Little D No.7. Its eyes were clouded over, and I saw its teeth had sharpened. Saliva foamed around its lips as it tried to bite me. I sighed as I dug my fingers into its body, squishing it. It cried out and the cloudiness dissipated from its gaze. It blinked as it looked up at me. “Oh—oh no! Mister Doe! I apologize! I lost myself for a moment there!”

I shook my head as I let go of it, watching as it plummeted towards the ground for a moment before floating back up to where I was standing. It shook its head, muttering something under its breath before looking at me. “You missed dinner last night. Sernan went up to find you and saw you passed out on the edge of your bed. He tried waking you up, but you were dead asleep. Poor fellow thought you were dead but Master Belphegor told him that you’d had a busy day. He was the one who put you to sleep in the bed. There’s some food in the fridge if you’re hungry, I can help you fix it.”

“That’d be nice, thank you, No.7.” I said, grabbing ahold of the railing and beginning my decent.

“No.7? No one calls me that, not anymore, at least.” They said, following behind me.

My boots thumped against the carpet as I turned towards the kitchen. “Did someone call you it before?”

They sighed, looking up. “Yeah, my dad, long ago. He’s the original No.7. He works for Master Belphegor now.”

“What about Sernan? He’s not from around here, is he?”

“Nope. Ser is from Sector Six, he’s basically like a cousin to me, almost? He’s related to the original Little D No.6, however he’s also not immediate family to her. I think he’s her third cousin twice removed or something like that? Even still, he gained enough power to have a more human form, so that says a lot about him.” No.7 said, nodding to themselves.

I frowned as they lead me into the lounge. “What do you mean, enough power?”

No.7 motioned for me to sit down. “I’ll bring you some food, wait here and then I’ll explain, alright, Mister Doe?”

They didn’t give me a chance to answer before they flew off, heading for a closed door down the hallway. I sat there not even for a minute before they came back, carrying a plate. On it was some sort of meat, with a bunch of strange leaves and a pile of something that was mashed. I grimaced. “What is this?”

No.7 shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s what Master Belphegor had for dinner last night, I don’t eat food so…”

I sighed before grabbing the fork and knife that rested precariously on the edge of the plate. The meat was tender, which usually meant it would taste good. I carefully cut a slice off and then brought it to my lips. No.7 watched out of the corner of my eye, a gleeful grin overtaking their whole orb body. My mouth stretched open as I ate it. It tasted similarly to steak, but had an almost sweet tang to it, and as I swallowed it, I found myself craving more. Hunger slammed into me and I began slicing up the meat, eating it up as quickly as I could. No.7 chuckled. “You have quite the appetite, Mister Doe. You could rival Master Beelzebub with those moves.”

“I don’t normally eat this fast; I suppose my body just realized I hadn’t eaten for almost twenty-four hours.” I replied between bites, my manners long forgotten as the natural instinct to shove as much food as humanely possible into my mouth took over.

No.7 hummed, rubbing their hand under the chin. “I see. Now, you wanted to know more about Ser, and I was reminded of it because of my mention of Master Beelzebub. You see, Sernan is originally a member of Sector Six, which is ruled by the sixth demon brother and the sin of Gluttony, Master Beelzebub. He’s also Master Belphegor’s twin brother, however he’s a few minutes older. Now, Sernan is a glutton demon, which means he tends to eat. A lot. When you have him and Gurnin in a room, you’d better not be hungry lest you’ll starve.”

“And Gurnin is…?”

“The original Little D No.6. She’s his family member, third cousin twice removed. Sernan, however, wanted to explore the world, so he got an internship from Master Belphegor on the urging of Master Beelzebub, and works as a courier. This way he gets to travel while also making a living for himself. Sernan is quite happy with the arrangement.” 

I nodded, moving onto the strange paste. It was very sweet, unlike the meat which still had a savory taste, but it was good. I ate it, mixing it up with a few of the strange plants that were siting beside it. They had a more bitter taste, but with the sweet paste I could get over it. No.7 chuckled. “You seem to like the food, I take it?”

“It’s food. My body is craving something to eat, so it’ll do.” I didn’t want to admit how much I was actually enjoying the taste of this food. It was better than anything Madame had ever fixed. All of her foods were so airy and ethereal like. Something I would’ve imagined were eaten by elves or fairies. This food felt heavier, it sat better in my stomach and was more filling than other foods I’d eaten.

No.7 smiled. “I’m glad you enjoy it. Master Belphegor is currently working right now, however it’s almost lunch time so he should be down here soon. The Shades will prepare a meal for him if you’re hungry in a bit.”

I shook my head, mixing some of the paste and veggies together. “I think I’ll be fine. This food is quite filling.”

“If you say so, Mister Doe.”

The fork scraped against the plate as I finished it off, cleaning every speck of food off of it. No.7 sighed before they floated up. “I am going to go tell Master Belphegor that you’re up. He was worried about you last night.”

I didn’t say anything as I set the plate down. No.7 shot off towards the stairs, weaving between each twist and turn. Once more the room was plunged into silence, save for a soft hum from an air conditioner. Once Belphegor came back, I’d ask him more about this place. I wanted to learn more about each of his brothers, and I especially wanted to learn more about the girl who died five hundred years ago.


End file.
